The introverted house
The design of the residential complex was carried out in accordance with the provided technical and economic indicators, which predetermined the parameters of the development of a half-hectare plot of land in one of the old districts of Moscow. The developer did not have any strictly defined stylistic wishes.
The known limits of the plot were taken as the basis for the design – the insolation analysis limited the height to 6 storeys, not allowing to create a simple block with view flats. However, the architects managed to turn the disadvantages into advantages: the definition of the maximum heights set the building’s outline and preceded the appearance of many terraces and mezzanine flats. The volumetric and spatial solution is thus based on these data and makes the maximum use of the permitted heights.
After studying the historical experience of traditionally dense buildings and difficult insolation, the architects and consultants at za bor developed a modern project based on a building philosophy that has been tested over thousands of years: the main source of ideas and inspiration came from the hutongs, the famous Chinese streets consisting of groups of buildings with courtyards, usually four houses, open to the courtyard. The dense buildings and dangerous environment of the cities of ancient China forced architects to solve complex problems related to insolation and safety. The architects reinterpreted ideas that had been tried and tested over the centuries to create an ideal residential complex with expressive architecture and a pleasant interior space facing, like a hutong, into the territory. The name was suggested accordingly – house-“introvert” – any person, sooner or later, gets tired of the frantic rhythm of the megapolis, so the desire to relax and abstract from the active life of the big city, sometimes to seclude and be an introvert, is natural. Therefore, when developing a high-class residential complex, the architects paid special attention to the control of the perimeter and the creation of an isolated inner space, giving the opportunity to lead a quiet measured life, surrounded by lush greenery almost in the centre of the city.
The courtyard level was lowered to maximise the amount of space. Since the courtyard is designed as a completely safe recreational area for the residents of the complex and their children, cars have no access there – the garage is underground. In addition, the minus ground floor provides an additional service for residents – storage rooms for seasonal storage, technical rooms and communications are also located here. It was decided to allocate the ground floor for commercial space, while the technical and economic indicators for the volume of housing stock were fully met and the project avoided monotonous planning solutions, which helped to meet the needs of different categories of residents and tenants.
TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC INDICATORS
Site area – 0.448 ha
Area of residential building – 12,886 sq.m.
including:
area of the underground part – 3 696 sq.m.
area of the above-ground part – 9,190 sq.m.
Number of storeys – 6 (including one underground part)
Number of flats – 78 (100%)
including:
one-room apartments – 20 (25,6%)
two-room apartments – 29 (37,3%)
three-room apartments – 25 (32%)
four-room apartments – 4 (5.1 per cent)
The total area of flats – 6 075 sq.m.
The area of commercial premises – 1,051.7 sq.m.
Area of seasonal storage – 360 sq.m.
Underground car park – 90 car spaces